jphye

Thanks Gabe. I've really appreciated this conversation. Actually, there is a small minority of environmental sociologists who are actively engaging in interdisciplinary research with Feminist theory, particularly Intersectionality. In my applications I clearly cited the one professor at the university who actively engaged in this type of research. I then rounded out my application by citing other faculty in the department who were also engaged in environmental sociology and used ethnography as a methodology. So, in that regard, I felt my applications demonstrated a very close fit between the research agendas of existing tenured faculty and my research interests. I mean there are like maybe a dozen people doing this type of research. How much more fit can their be? I will definitely drop all references to GT going forward. Dumb question: does the writing sample have to be produced while enrolled in a degree program? Over the next few months, I could write a sample that clearly demonstrates my ability to do statistical analysis, as well as my knowledge of sociological theory. I don't know why, I just figured PhD admissions committees would want to see writing samples that were either a) published or are derived from the master's thesis.

That is helpful feedback that I can actually use. I wish it would have come up in conversations I had with faculty at Minnesota. So, will I need a different writing sample altogether then? I did use my master's thesis as my writing sample and it's all based on GT/Ethnographic research. My choices of where to apply were not based so much on presitge as they were on faculty who actually do research on environmental sociology, trauma and have understanding of feminist theory. I chose my master's program on prestige and had no real faculty support in the sense that they were engaged in similar veins of research. Does that come up at all for a committee - the match between a candidate and the faculty they want to work with? They specifically asked for faculty I want to work with; and the faculty I cited in my application were all more or less amenable to ethnography. I figured the admissions committees were interested in seeing if there was a fit between advisors and incoming students, but it doesn't seem like that is the case...

Thanks for the question! US News and World Report rankings (2013): They were all ranked 20, my first choice was U of Minnesota (because that is where faculty research and what I wanted to do best aligned...or so I thought...)

Ok, so I am asking for honest advice, but not brutal advice (stay away trolls). This application season was a disaster for me and I'm looking for insight as to why. Disaster = rejected by everyone. Briefly, my stats: 4.00 GPA - Master's program (in Public Affairs) 3.85 GPA overall, 3.78 GPA major - Undergrad (BA in Liberal Studies), including student of the year for my department 3 strong letters (1 that was glowing); 1 from my master's advisor and paper committee chair (who is now a dean at a Big10 university, and my master's program is nationally ranked top 20); 1 from undergrad advisor; 1 from undergrad prof. Writing sample was original research I did for my Master's program, 7 month qualitiative-study using grounded theory/ethnographic methodology. GRE scores were mixed bag (from awesome to dismal): Verbal 164; Analytical Writing: 4.5; Quantitative 145 I get test anxiety pretty bad when it comes to math; I got a 4.0 in all my required quantitative courses for my masters degree, but I bomb tests (as evidenced by my GRE quantitative score). It's so bad that I've even been advised that re-taking the GRE will probably result in only a few points increase at most and is probably not worth it. I don't understand why I can do the analysis in class, but not on standardized tests. I met with the professor I want to work with and specifically chose the university I applied to based on those conversations. The conversations were postive and I was encouraged to apply. The professors listed in my application are interdisciplinary and do similar research to what I have done and want to do in future. In my applications I stated my career focus is on Environmental Sociology, sociologies of trauma, and linking feminist theory to that research. Again, choosing professors, sociology department and fellowship that have a demonstrated track record with these areas. I have not taken an undergrad or graduate level sociology course, but so much of my coursework was either influenced by sociology or had clear overlap; i.e. quantitative analysis in public affiars is not that different than quantitative analysis in sociology. same with ethnography; focus group research, etc. etc. Since 2010, I've worked in higher education in a variety of roles including, adjunct faculty, adviser, administrator, and professional staff. I would like to apply again next year, but I am getting no feedback and stonewalled on what I am doing wrong. Is sociology not for me? More importantly, is a PhD not for me?